


Resisting the Center of Gravity

by heartofsteele



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-15 21:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9258008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartofsteele/pseuds/heartofsteele
Summary: When a beautiful and injured engineer named Alida arrives from his home planet with a dying Snap Wexley and an important piece of information for the Resistance, Poe Dameron takes her under his wing to train her as a pilot for their cause. The closer they become, the more he begins to realize that perhaps he was the one who needed her, after all.





	1. Ambush on Yavin 4

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note/Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or storylines created by George Lucas, J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, Michael Arndt, or anyone else involved in the Star Wars verse. I created a few characters but not the wonderfully phenomenal universe they are written into. Thanks for reading, and I hope y'all enjoy! There's no Poe in this chapter, but he'll come into the second one! This chapter is setting up the main OC character and the story!

CHAPTER 1: Ambush on Yavin 4

This was a first. Working with an X-Wing fighter…one that has seen real battle. It was the highest honor she could think of in her twenty-five years of living, as she had been in love with them since she first laid eyes on one. Sure, Alida had been inside the cockpit of a starship such as this before, but she'd never gotten the chance to do the repairs on one, much less on such a time constraint. She worked best under pressure. It was a fantastical dream that she was afraid she'd wake from if someone pinched her hard enough.

Sliding her fingers delicately over the control panel, her heart felt like it could burst out of her chest with pride of what she had accomplished for this pilot over the last week. Hearing said pilot call her name from outside the ship, she mumbled under her breath about the impatience of men before exiting the cockpit and standing on the loading platform.

"Would you relax? I'm done!" Hands on her hips, the affectionate blonde stared him down as he made his way over to her. "Look, the main problem you had was the overheating of the engine, and that was easily fixed since I got the part you needed. You had a few minor repairs that I managed to fix in the cockpit as well as make a few adjustments to your droid. He's as good as new." As if to agree, the tiny droid rolled over and beeped out a positive note or two, sending a pleasant smile to the blonde's face. He was one of the cutest droids she'd ever seen.

"So…I am free to leave?" Her attention returned to the man standing before her. His weight shifted from foot to foot, his eyes darted across their surroundings constantly. The pilot's name was Snap, or that's the name that was given to her, at least. A week ago, he had landed on Yavin 4 and begged for help to repair his ship, and while most did not want to touch an X-wing for fear of First Order repercussions, Alida jumped at the chance to help.

Taking a moment to think about all of the problems and whether or not there were solutions, she used that time to glance over the beautiful ship that she was honored to have in her hangar. It was gray and blue in color and fairly new, and it was more technologically advanced compared to some of the other ships she'd had to work with in the past few years. Hypernautics was quite possibly her favorite thing in the world, and she made it her business to know anything and everything about every single ship out there.

"Am I free to go?" The question was asked again, not in a rude or loud way, yet the urgency still captured her attention. Looking back at the dark-haired man in his dark green jacket and brown pants, she gave a single nod of assent before smiling and putting out her hand.

"She's all ready to fly!" Alida replied brightly. "Why don't you load up the droid, and I'll figure up the total of what you owe. X-wings get a special deal from me."

"Miss Salk, I cannot thank you enough for everything. I won't forget this. You've helped me more than you know," Snap's nervous features were somewhat relaxed, his mouth tugging upwards in his own version of a smile as he shook her hand gruffly and then released it so that he could go hook in his droid. She opened her mouth to say that he was welcome, that it was a pleasure to have him there. However, all calm activity ceased as soon as the hangar door opened, and a group of Stormtroopers came marching inside. Alida did not even have time to blink before the first shots were fired. The pilot threw himself on top of her with a yell, and he rolled them behind a large group of crates. Blasters were going off and hitting the items around them.

"What's going on?" she shouted over the noise as her heart drummed inside of her chest, a reminder that she was luckily still alive. Without looking at her, Snap drew his own blaster from inside his jacket and steeled himself for a fight before chancing a glance down at her.

"They're here for me…it was why I needed this repair done so quickly…" he explained as quickly as possible before peeking over the crates and firing off a few shots. "I'm sorry to get you involved, Alida. I was hoping I would be gone before they traced my trail."

"You are flying with the Resistance…you're on a mission, aren't you?" she whispered in awe, and he continued to aim and shoot without responding. His lack of response was enough of an answer for her, and she flattened herself further against the boxes as the shots got closer and closer to her head. He was a pretty good shot, as Stormtroopers fell left and right, though there were still around five or six of them left.

"I need you to take this disk. Get out of here. Find a man named Caluan Ematt. He needs this. I'll cover you. Go!" The Resistance pilot turned to her with his command, slipping a small piece of hardware into her smaller fingers before jumping out and ducking behind more crates as he blasted two more troopers off of their feet. Alida's curiosity overrode the order to leave him behind, and she glanced out to watch the gunfight. However, as her new ally tried to get a better vantage point to shoot, he was struck by one of the blaster shots and fell to the ground. Without even a single thought, she stood and rushed towards him, hearing the whining of the droid as it shot out in front of her to cover her with its own mini barrage of gunfire.

"Oh no! No no no!" Sliding to her knees next to the pilot, she picked up his blaster and took a few deep breaths before turning and firing it at the closest trooper. As he fell, the young woman, who had never killed a man in her life, stared at the gun in her hand for only a heartbeat before the droid was screaming at her in binary. "Okay…okay! I hear you! Snap, are you okay?" She shook his shoulder, pulling them behind a box as she heard the guns rage on. "Say something!"

"Go…" he groaned out, holding his lower abdomen. Her eyes followed his to see that he was bleeding from a deep wound, and she tried not to scream. She lived her life peacefully, repairing ships and staying out of trouble. This? This was nothing she'd ever seen or dealt with before. "I can't…I can't fly…" he continued throatily. Having made up her mind, she looked down at the man in her arms with a determined yet bleak expression.

"You're going to give this disk to Caluan yourself." She turned her pleading, tearful gaze to the droid. "Help me…help me get him in the ship. I-I can try to fly it…I know a few things…" With the help of the agile little roly poly droid, Alida used whatever strength she could muster and half-dragged the quickly weakening man into his fighter. With her back turned to the last two troopers, she never saw it coming. A sudden and white hot pain seared through her side, and she cried out in an instant response. Her hands almost dropped the man from her grip, but her adrenaline spiked and prevented her from feeling the pain that her body was telling her to feel.

"C-C'mon, buddy! C'mon!" As soon as they were inside, Alida's hand pulled the canopy shut, and to her relief, it closed them off from any further gunfire. "All right…now what? What do I do?" Trying to remain calm, she laid the wounded man down against her seat and slipped in next to him, halfway on top of his shoulder. Instantly, a bout of nausea struck as she fought the claustrophobia overwhelming her. She faced down the now daunting controls in front of her, but she flipped the power and began the take-off procedure as well as she could.

"W-Where do I need to go?" she asked hastily as her eyes remained locked on the switches and buttons she was currently using to lift them up into the sky. "Talk to me…Talk to me Snap! Stay with me!" He was wheezing out the instructions to the best of his ability, and she followed them to a tee. The droid unit had moved up into its position and began to help her fly the ship. It knew where they were going…it would help her find the way.

"No! No no! Oh holy Hoth!" It had not even been a minute since they left the hangar, and she heard an explosion behind her. Another ship flew behind them, and upon checking the radar screen, she knew it was a tie fighter. One of the troopers must've continued the chase, and she had no idea how to fight him. Alida was not a soldier. She'd punched a few faces here and there, but an actual battle? Taking lives and shooting guns? Her father would have a full blown panic attack just thinking about it.

"BB…what's going on?" Hearing the pilot's low moans coming from behind her as the droid made little noises, she felt a pang of guilt wash over her. She was not about to give up and let him die. They would make it to that base and save his life. The droid began to talk to her and instruct her on battle moves. In that moment, she was intensely grateful for knowing the binary language of the droids, as she had to deal with them on a daily basis at her job. He was telling her how to shoot the laser cannons and how to use light speed, and she retained every piece of information given to her.

"Now…n-now!" Snap commanded hoarsely as their ship took a hit, and it shook from side to side. Ignoring the intensifying nausea hitting her body, Alida waited for the tie to spin around and face them before firing directly at it and striking its engines. The ship exploded in front of them, and immediately her fingers pressed light speed. She felt herself being slammed backwards into her seat for a long moment before everything returned to normal, and she was looking straight at a greenish gray planet ahead of them.

"D'Qar…home…" Hearing the faint whisper of Snap behind her, she winced as she moved slightly in the seat and pushed the ship to its limits, her concern for the pilot overwhelming her. She couldn't lose him. He had saved her life, and now it was time to repay that debt. The blonde maneuvered the X-Wing down onto the planet and managed to land slowly and safely on the base, though her hands trembled against the controls the entire time.

"Snap! Welcome home!" A booming yet warm voice came over the headset, and Alida unstrapped herself to push open the canopy. As soon as the light from the planet shone into the cockpit, she began to tug the gravely wounded man off the ship.

"Please! M-My name is Alida Salk! Please help! We…we need a medic! Snap was shot!" she screamed out in a panic as they almost toppled over, not wanting to let go of him until she knew he would get the help he needed. Everyone seemed to move at once, as certain people began an onslaught of questions while a swarm of medical personnel rushed forward to take him from her, and others were simply trying to get a better look at both her and Snap. There were nothing but kind and worried faces in her line of sight, and she almost breathed out in relief that she was somewhere safe. "He saved my life! We…we w-were ambushed by Stormtroopers…in my hangar…"

They gently coaxed him from her terrified grip and brought him inside, his droid rolling quickly behind them with an anxious yet constant beeping, and she pulled the highly sought after disk from her belt to stare at it for a moment. What was so important that Snap was willing to die to protect it? When a group of other pilots began to surround her with words of gratitude, that's when she could finally take note that her adrenaline was quickly wearing off. What replaced it was a searing agony unlike any she'd ever felt before. With a soft cry of pain, her already blood-soaked hand slid to her side.

"We need another medic! The woman's been shot as well! Hurry!" The last thing she was aware of before succumbing to darkness was a cluster of worried faces and a demanding voice telling her to stay with them.


	2. Enlightening Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Alida and Snap have been brought to the medcenter, a confused Poe Dameron goes looking for answers...and gets more than he bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Once more, I own nothing about the Star Wars universe except the relationships I build, Alida, and my own personal take on the characters. I hope y'all enjoy Poe's entrance into my story, and the little twist towards the middle!

**CHAPTER 2: Enlightening Conversations**

“That was the third time you died in the past five minutes…and you died the same exact way two out of those three times.” This rookie was not ready to be up in the air…that much was certain. The overseer, fingers in a constant circular motion against his temples, stood watching the younger man run through the scenarios and trying to gauge his reactions. The only responses he received from the kid were panic, anxiousness, and a squirrelly nature, as if the last thing in the world he wanted to do was get into a cockpit and fly out into war. “Why don’t you take a break, hmm?” It was as though he had just told the rookie that he was being awarded the highest possible honor, as his eyes grew so wide with excitement that they practically bulged from their sockets.

“Poe Dameron, are you scaring the new recruits again?” As the pilot in training did everything but run away from him, he heard an amused female voice behind him before he even had a chance to sit down. The Black Squadron leader turned from where he was standing and shot her a roguish smirk, his shoulders hunching up once in a halfway casual shrug.

“Perhaps I am, General Organa,” he teased a little, hearing his friend Jessika’s snort of laughter as she passed by on her way to her own X-wing. “Though, to be honest, that one scares perfectly fine on his own without my help.” He fell in step with her as they began to walk away from the training area and down towards the command center.

“Another one?” Leia Organa was never one to accept failure, so she tried to think of another way to attempt to train the young recruit. “Perhaps we start him smaller than an X-wing fighter? Place him on a team and see how he fares in a Y-Wing as a gunner instead of a pilot, perhaps?”

“Yes, General. I like the way you think,” Poe agreed as his eyes took a leisurely glance around them at his fellow pilots, each of them currently involved with their own task. There was an empty spot in the line of Starfighters where his good friend Snap’s X-wing normally sat, and he hoped it would get filled soon. Snap was a vital member of their team, and to not have him there in case of emergency was troublesome. Not to mention, the absence of Snap made for an irritable and nervous Jessika, and it was beginning to chip away at Poe’s patience as well. Whatever mission the superiors sent him on, it must have been incredibly important to pull him away during this period of unrest in the Resistance.

“I wish to ask for your help on a certain matter, Poe. Can you spare me a few minutes?” Leia smiled warmly at her best pilot, which he returned tenfold.

“Of course. I can always make time for you,” he replied with a small laugh, beckoning his droid BB-8 to accompany them. It chattered in droid speak but rolled alongside him curiously. The three of them headed straight for a quieter area where they could speak in private, and Poe raised a brow towards his leader.

“The other counselors and I spoke about the newest information regarding my brother, Luke. He is alive and he is out there, but I know the First Order will be trying to find him.”

“No doubt about that,” Poe muttered bitterly, his distaste for the Order poring through every syllable.

“We have to find him first. He was attempting to find the Jedi Temple last time I spoke with him…but he needs to return now.”

“What do you need me to do?” Poe asked with a growing smile, eager to return to his bird and make it fly again.

“I have received word that a dear friend of the Resistance may have information that can lead us to Luke. I need you to go on a retrieval mission for that information.” As she explained in further detail what he would have to do, his face fell into a more serious expression as he listened intently to every word spoken to him.

“I won’t let you down, General Organa. You can count on me,” he nodded once as he looked down at his droid with a small grin. “Looks like we have another mission, BB-Buddy.” The little droid beeped out a torrent of giddy noises, and his master laughed a little in response at its antics.

“Commander! General!” Their gazes snapped up quickly to the pilot suddenly running towards them.

“What is it, R1?” Poe asked at once, his brows furrowing at the sight of the other man’s panicked face.

“Snap…it’s Snap!” the young man responded, out of breath.

“Calm down. Has he returned with the intel he was searching for?” the leader inquired hopefully.

“We do not know, Commander. He has been rushed to the medcenter.”

“Why? What happened to him?” General Organa chimed in worriedly. Poe’s figure stiffened as millions of scenarios rushed through his head at once.

“He was shot. The wound was severe, and blood loss was significant.” Poe’s heart sank as his body began to sag against the wall behind him, his mouth opening as his mind tried to compose what to say.

“How did he fly himself home?” the general continued, giving Poe a moment to compose himself.

“That’s the thing. He didn’t fly himself home, General. He had help. A young woman flew him home in his own X-wing.”

“Is she Resistance?”

“No. Civilian, it would seem.”

“Where is she? I wish to see her, to thank her for bringing Snap back to us.” There was a disconcerting pause, and her frown deepened. “What is it, R1?”

“She is also in the medcenter, General. She was shot in their escape from their attackers, as well.”

“Are you saying that she flew the X-wing after she had been critically wounded?” Poe asked incredulously, his own frown tugging his normally smiling lips downwards. A nod in response had him glancing over at Leia in obvious shock and disbelief. “Are we sure that she’s a civilian then? A normal woman off of the street would not have been able to pull off such a feat without endurance training.”

“When they arrived, she did not act like this sort of thing was normal for her life, Commander Dameron. All that she showed was pure fear and genuine concern for Snap’s safety. She would not release him from her grip until our medical personnel pried him from her.”

“Thank you so much for your report, pilot.” The general could tell that Poe was growing more perplexed and uneasy by the second, so she wished to place him at ease and keep his head space calm and grounded.

“Please keep us updated on the both of them.” Poe’s stare followed his fellow pilot’s retreating form until he was gone, and then he was staring back at his leader with a heavy sigh. “Where was he that he fell under such heavy fire? Snap usually walks away from these situations with a few cuts and bruises, but never a wound like this.” Thinking aloud, he placed both hands on the nearest crate and shook his head, a few pieces of his dark mess of hair falling across his forehead.

“When he wakes, you will be there to ask him that question yourself. There will be no mission for your squadron until we are certain that he will survive this.” The statement from the older woman was more of a soft command rather than a suggestion, and Poe inclined his head almost instantly.

“Yes, General. Of course.”

“Have hope that he will pull through,” she spoke as she laid a soothing touch of her hand light against his arm.

“That they _both_ will pull through. I have to thank the woman who brought my dearest friend home,” Poe added with a deepening headache, his fingers pressing back to his forehead with a soft noise in the back of his throat. At that moment, he wished with everything inside of his soul that the woman who saved one of his best pilots would wake up so that he could personally tell her how grateful he was. Snap was the nearest thing to a brother that Poe had the pleasure of spending his days with, and to lose him would be to lose a piece of his soul.

* * *

 

The drone of the different machines was dull and repetitive, but to Jessika Pava, they were a blessing. It meant that he was still alive. She placed her fingers on the glass of the bacta tank, her eyes glued on the trancelike man inside of the healing agent. The droids outside of the tank spoke to each other and continued their work around the human female, having been told that she would not leave the room for anything in the world. She had shed her flight suit as soon as she heard the news that he was here, and now the young woman stood unflinching in her civilian clothes waiting on a response…any kind of response. Hours had already passed since they had first brought him in, yet still she remained steadfast in her watch over the one person she could not live without in the entire universe.

“Jess…” A gentle voice made itself known from behind her, and then a single hand on her shoulder let her know that her commander was there with her, lending moral support where he knew it was needed the most.

“How is the woman?” The words fell out of her mouth, a distraction to keep her mind off her grim thoughts as she turned her head upwards to meet his gaze.

“It is taking them longer to patch her blaster wound because there was only one bacta tank, and Snap’s condition…well, it was worse than hers upon arrival. They had to use the longer process on her. The medical personnel are keeping me updated, and I’ll see her as soon as she is awake.” Jessika nodded slowly and turned her gaze once more towards Snap’s healing body in the tank.

“He’s going to be all right, Poe. Tell me he’s going to be all right.”

“That’s the easiest command I’ve heard all day,” he smiled at her, though it did not reach his eyes. “Snap will be all right. He’s one of the strongest pilots I’ve ever known.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. He is our best recon pilot, Poe. How could this happen?”

“None of us are invincible, Jess. Not me, not you, not him…we entered this fight knowing the possibilities even though we never want to believe it can happen to us.” His tone was soft but genuine, as though he hoped she would understand the realistic side of what had happened. “Whatever happened, we’ll know as soon as they both wake up and can tell us the story themselves.”

“Commander Dameron.” At his name being called out, he glanced back over his shoulder at the medical officer standing there, cleaning off his red stained hands with a damp cloth. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but you asked to be updated with the patient’s status.”

“Yes. How is she?”

“We’ve managed to stabilize her and patch the wound. She is quite the fighter. A few weeks healing time and the only thing that will remain is a scar.” A small smile formed on the doctor’s lips as he glanced down at his hands. “She is resting now and still extremely weak. However, I'm quite sure you will be able to see her in a few hours when she wakes up.” Every part of Poe’s body seemed to sag downwards in immense relief at the news that Snap’s savior would survive. And more than that, she’d be all right in time.

“Commander, there’s something else. Major Antilles is wishing to speak with you. He is in the command center.”

“Major Antilles? Why?” He took a few steps towards the doctor, who cocked his head to the side a little as he surveyed the pilot.

“He says the woman who flew Snap back to D’Qar is his niece.” Poe glanced in a stunned silence at Jess, who shooed him away with a wave of her hand and a soft frown.

“Go speak to him. I’ll be okay, Poe. I’m not going anywhere,” she stated firmly. He smiled gratefully and jogged out of the bacta room to the command center. When he arrived, General Organa excused herself and walked over to her communications officers to give the two men some privacy, while an openly anxious Major Antilles was pacing back and forth.

“Wedge. Is it true?” he asked upon seeing his friend and fellow pilot, who looked over at him and nodded with a deep sigh.

“Yes. That is my niece. I do not know how this could have happened. She was safe…she was kept away from the Resistance and the fighting for a reason,” the older man responded as he halted his worried steps.

“Can you tell me more about her?” Poe took a seat and urged his friend to do the same, and he smiled a little when he obliged. Wedge leaned in a little closer to keep his voice low so that only Poe could hear him.

“Her name is Alida. Alida Salk. She is my sister’s child.”

“Wait…the actress? I thought her married name was Fel. And, as I recall, you told me she had a son?” Poe quirked a brow, thinking that perhaps he did not know the Antilles family as well as he thought.

“Not Syal. I had another sister…one who we choose not to speak of.” After Poe gave him a nod to continue, he went on. “When Alida was young, her mother defected to the Empire. She had been a pilot with the Rebellion…a damn good pilot…but she was taken, tortured, and brainwashed. There was no saving her from what they had done. We told Alida that her mother had been killed. The truth would’ve broken Alida’s heart much more than thinking her mother died a hero against the evil of the Empire and the Order.”

“All this time she has not learned that her mother is alive?”

“We do not know if she is or not. As far as the family is concerned, those of us who know the truth, she is dead. She died the day she was taken.” Wedge’s head bowed sadly as he wrung his hands in his lap, and Poe’s gaze turned sympathetic as he thought of the cruelty of the First Order and how merciless they could be.

“I can understand that,” Poe spoke considerately.

“Alida may have been born a Salk, but that girl is Antilles through and through. I believe it terrified her father every time I came around because he always believed she’d stow away on my ship and join the Alliance the first chance she got.”

“Well, that never happened,” Poe smirked as he watched Wedge laugh under his breath.

“No. No, it did not. As adventurous as she was, she also adored and respected her father. He wished for her to remain with him on Yavin 4, so that is what she did.”

“She did not want him to be alone…” Poe took a guess, to which his companion nodded once in affirmation. “She sounds like she has a loyal soul.” Loyalty is one of the most sought after traits of a Resistance pilot, and Poe Dameron was one to take loyalty and honor quite seriously. He’d have to file away this information in case he needed it at a later date.

“Alida is loyal to a fault to anyone or anything she believes to be worth it. I see she already built a connection with Snap, so much that she felt he was worth saving. To risk her own life for an X-wing pilot…it was Alida through and through.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“No matter how her father tried to shield her from this life, she absolutely loved the Resistance. She became a hypernautics engineer and studied all types of ships, but her love has always been Rebel ships…A-wings, Y-wings...I bet you can guess her favorite though.”

“X-wings…Takes after her uncle, then?” Poe teased lightly, settling back in his chair more comfortably.

“Takes after her father, as well,” Wedge’s eyes were soft with happier memories. “Her father…mother too…they were both pilots who flew in the Battle of Endor. That is where they fell in love, actually.” Poe thought of Snap and Jess and of how they fell in love fighting alongside each other in the different battles. While it was wonderful seeing two of his dearest friends happy, he could not imagine how difficult it was, falling in love with someone they could lose in a heartbeat. The Resistance was fighting a war. Love was something that they should not be able to afford…however, who was Poe to stop fate between two other people?

“Anyways. I should be by her side when she wakes.” Poe snapped out of his reverie when Wedge’s voice cut through the thick silence. The only signal he returned was a distracted nod of assent. “I’m the only familiar face she has here. If you can later, come and meet her.” With a warm smile and a clap of his hand against the younger pilot’s shoulder, Wedge turned and walked out of the command center, leaving Poe sitting alone in the corner of the room with nothing but his perplexing thoughts.


	3. Where the Healing Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Alida wakes up in the medcenter, Poe arrives to meet the woman who saved his best friend's life. He soon discovers someone quite different than he pictured in his head...someone he wishes to know more about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Hiya loves! I’m glad to bring y’all the next chapter in my Alida x Poe story! Sorry it took a while to write, and I hope y’all enjoy it! They finally get to meet!! As always, I own only Alida’s character and this particular plot line. Everything else belongs to its own creators and to George Lucas and his entire team.

Chapter 3: Where the Healing Begins

Death should not be this painful. Shouldn’t there have been a white light, her mother welcoming her with open arms to…wherever the higher powers that were decided to place her in the afterlife? None of that was happening. There was a dull ache which slowly turned into a throbbing pain that had her eyes popping open and her heart rate skyrocketing. Fingers grasped at IV lines attached to her veins and eyes darted around at her dark surroundings as they adjusted to the new scenery.

“Grife, Little ‘Lida…take it easy.” That voice...it cemented the fact that she was, in fact, alive. Last time she checked, the man belonging to it was very much alive. Alida had survived, and the memory of what had transpired between Yavin IV and D’Qar came racing back through her already anxious mind. “Easy.” Her gaze settled upon the wide eyed stare of her uncle, and her entire body relaxed at once back into her pillows. She watched the nurse that had been nearby back away round the corner and disappear from her sight.

“Uncle Wedge…” Croaking out a reply, the corners of her mouth lifted just enough that it seemed to satisfy him. He leaned down and pressed an affectionate kiss against her temple before he sat back down, pressing his hand down on top of hers. “How…How are you here?”

“I’m working alongside General Organa to help the Resistance against the First Order,” he explained with a small smile.

“Just like old times, huh?” Alida almost laughed, but it hurt her ribs to do so, so she settled for a weary smile.

“Guess I could not stay away, after all,” he shook his head as his relieved smile grew. “I’m glad you’re awake.”   

“That makes one of us,” she groaned softly, trying to adjust her back against the bed. He leaned up and helped to move the pillows enough so that she’d be comfortable. She nodded gratefully as she settled back down again. “My entire body is one big lump of pain.”

“You were shot. You’ve always been as tough as a septoid, but recovery will not be a painless process.” He released a sigh as he glanced at the monitors that reflected the progress of her treatments. “I would ask why in the blazes you would pull a stunt like that and almost die in the crossfire…however, I know the answer to that question.”

“He saved my life. Snap would’ve died, and I couldn’t…”

“Just sit back and do nothing?” he finished for her. Alida gave a small nod, grateful that he understood her reasoning behind her actions. Her father would be furious when he heard the news. Furious and frantic. She would not be surprised if he arrived at D’Qar by the next day demanding to know where his daughter was so he could wring her neck himself.

“Alida, I’ve been in positions such as this one before. This is what my life is like a good majority of the time. Risking my life, saving lives, being out directly in the line of trooper fire…and you handled it just as I would have. As much as your father tries to protect you…you’re an Antilles. We were built for this life.”

“As you’ve told me before, Uncle…but my body would beg to differ with you at the moment,” Alida teased in return as they both chuckled. The sound of approaching footsteps had her cringing, expecting more medical staff to continue poking and prodding her. However, the person who arrived was certainly no nurse.

“We have all been where you are right now.” His voice was rich and accented, the inflection warm and pleasing to the ear. Short dark hair was tousled, skin tanned, and eyes deep and dark yet not cruel. Instead, they were welcoming and full of intrigue. He took a few steps closer to the bed, gazing down at the blonde beauty that had been his best friend’s savior and feeling slight surprise at how different his mental image had been from what he was seeing now. “The nurses informed me that you were awake. I figured I’d stop by and greet you properly.”

“Alida, this is my dear friend and the leader of the X-wing squadrons here on D’Qar. We’ve flown together many times. I used to fly with his mother during the war against the Empire,” Wedge smiled brightly, standing to clap him on the shoulder. Poe’s kindhearted smile grew as he looked from the older man to the woman in the bed, her own features relaxing as she returned his stare.

“Commander Poe Dameron, at your service,” he bowed his head respectfully, reaching out his hand in greeting. It took a considerate amount of effort to extend her own hand, but she was finally able to slide her hand gently into his after he moved closer towards her. His eyes moved to their joined fingers for only a moment before he was smiling back up at her face. In response, Alida flashed him a generous smile of her own. Wedge noticed the exchange with a small quirk upwards of his brow, but he remained silent.

“Alida Salk, at yours. It’s just Alida here…no official title or rank…” she responded, grimacing as a small pain shot through her side. “How is Snap? Please…tell me he made it…” She did not wish to waste any more of this man’s time without knowing how her new friend was doing.

“He’s recovering quite nicely inside the bacta tank. Thanks to you, he’ll be up and around in no time,” Poe immediately reported, his other hand coming up to cover their already joined ones. “I cannot express how grateful I am…how grateful the rest of my pilots are…for what you did. You saved one of our best. You saved a dear friend.” He watched a small tinge of pink creep up her neck and color her fair cheeks, and he tried not to smile at how flattering it was.

“I did what anyone should have,” she murmured modestly, to which he shook his head.

“Perhaps that is true, but…you did what no normal person would have. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save a man you barely knew. You owed him nothing, yet you were willing to save his life. That is one of the bravest actions I know.” She could not help the darkening blush against her skin as she looked down at her blanket. And that’s when she realized.

They were still holding hands.

“C-Commander?” she asked softly, inclining her head towards it, and when he glanced down to what she was indicating, he slowly released his grip on her with a calm and succinct clearing of his throat.

“My darling niece. I must report to General Organa. She wishes to meet you as well,” her uncle spoke up as he looked between the other two. A look of panic crossed her face, and she began shaking her head no until she saw spots and laid her head back against the pillow with a groan. Poe’s brows knitted together in concern as he bent down and placed a soothing hand against her shoulder.

“It’s all right…she will not be angry that you flew the X-wing here. There will be no punishment for what you did to get here,” he began.

“No…No, it’s not like that…” she replied, her voice rising in pitch. “Not at all…”

“Perhaps it may be best to tell her you are not physically ready for that just yet.” Wedge smiled in acknowledgement at her sudden distress and looked over at Poe, whose expression was filled with confusion. “She looked up to General Organa more than any other woman in the universe.”

“She cannot see me like this…I’m not decent…” Poe almost laughed at how much this woman was taking him by surprise, but he smoothly covered it up with a small cough instead. He recalled how her uncle had explained her adoration for the Resistance and wondered how many stories she’d been told of the princess turned general as a child growing up.

“The general will not judge your appearance after everything you have been through. She’ll be nothing but gracious and benevolent towards you. She may have been a princess, but she’s also a general in a war. Believe me when I tell you that she’s seen worse,” Poe justified as he took the seat that Wedge had vacated next to Alida’s bedside.

“I am no longer needed here, I presume?” Wedge inquired as he exchanged a glance with Alida, whose eyes were growing tired once more from the exertion of the conversation. “I have meetings to attend. Alida, you’re in good company. I’ll be back to check on you.” Kissing her forehead again, Wedge turned and walked out of her space, leaving her alone with the pilot.

“Miss Salk…”

“Alida. You don’t need to call me by my surname, Commander Dameron,” she responded kindly, folding her fingers in front of her.

“Then there is no need to call me Commander. Just Poe will do.”

“You have yourself a deal.” Smiling at each other, Poe used their silence to glance her over quickly in assessment. She had intelligent, brilliant blue eyes, a smile that could light up a galaxy, yet there seemed to be a soft wistfulness that settled over her. If Poe was good at anything besides flying, it was reading people. In a fleeting thought, he wondered if he’d ever get to see what was behind that hesitant wistful nature she exuded.

“Are you feeling up to speaking about what happened on your home planet?”

_Our home planet_ …he thought to himself, but he knew they were not talking about him in that moment. He was focused on her story, on how she got to where they were now. It would not be appropriate to speak of his own past when there were too many questions already at hand.

“Snap came to me about a week ago. His X-wing was damaged, and he was nervous. No one else would help him. Even on Yavin IV, the atmosphere is tense. People are afraid of what the First Order will do to them.” After Poe nodded in understanding, he gestured for her to continue. “I offered to help…I could never turn down the opportunity to work with Resistance ships…they’re beautiful…Works of art.” She noticed Poe smiling at that, but she did not think on it for long.

“I had finished my work, and he was preparing to leave when a group of troopers came into my hangar and began shooting.”

“Were they in white armor?” Poe asked, leaning forward as his lips drew downwards into a contemplating frown.

“No. Camouflage.”

“Forest troopers. Damn it. They knew exactly how to hide on Yavin IV until they could find him,” Poe’s voice dropped low as he thought aloud to himself. “Whatever Snap was searching for must have been truly sought after by the Order.” His hand passed over his face, and Alida waited until he was once again looking up at her before she continued on.

“Snap threw himself on top of me. I did not even know how to react or think. Everything was happening too quickly…I’ve never been placed in these kinds of situations…”

“And no one will condemn you for that,” Poe answered her comfortingly.

“He told me to take this dis…wait, where is it? Where did it go?” Her head began to whip in every direction as she prepared to spring out of the bed.

“Woah, Alida! Stop moving, or you’ll only delay your recovery!” Poe reasoned with her as he stood and placed his hands against her shoulders, staring down at her worried eyes until she calmed herself down. “Now, what are you looking for?”

“There was a disk…Snap gave it to me…for safekeeping. Told me I needed to…to get it to a man…his name was Cal…Callian…no…Caluan?”

“Caluan Ematt?” Poe finished for her, and when she gave him a sharp nod, he moved his hands against her neck with a dazzling grin. “Thank you, Alida.”

“Where is it?” she demanded again, though she noticed how much her heart sped up at the closer proximity of his face to hers and the strange feeling of his hands further up against her skin. At the sound of the heart monitor changing pace, he released her and stood back a little, looking a tad sheepish as he assumed that she was afraid of how close he’d come. In reality, that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

“It was taken to General Organa to be analyzed. I’ll pass along the message that it may be the one we’ve been searching for. This will certainly help make our fight easier.” He pressed a button on his comlink and gave instructions on what to do with the disk before putting it back into his jacket pocket. “Now that the information is safe, please…finish your story.”

“I-…” Taking a deep, exhausted breath, she obliged. “He told me to go, but when I saw him get shot, I could not leave him behind. He had just saved my life…I could not abandon him…if he had died, or had been taken by the troopers…I never would have forgiven myself.” Poe found himself drawn to her tale, his body moving on its own accord to sit back down at her side while his eyes never left hers. He was seeing the goodness in her, hearing it through every word how genuinely afraid she was for Snap’s safety with no regard to her own.

“As I said before, brave,” Poe chimed in proudly.

“You won’t think that for long,” she sighed in return, her fingers fidgeting with the blanket. “His droid covered us while I pulled him to the X-wing. I felt a pain in my side, but I barely was thinking at that second. I kept going until the three of us were inside the ship. I’m no pilot, Poe. Every second I was flying, I was so terrified that I’d let Snap down. I know the bare minimum of what to do to fly an X-wing, but not enough to fly through hyperspace with tie fighters on my tail. I’ve only skimmed the surface of Yavin IV with the ships I learned to fly.” Poe smiled to himself as he remembered with a certain fondness his flying lessons on Yavin IV with his mother.

“So tie fighters were tailing you. How many?”

“Two. When I first started to fly, I was claustrophobic inside that cockpit. It was such a small space, and there were two of us crammed in there. I’m glad he was there…and his droid. They told me how to destroy the tie fighters. They helped guide me here to D’Qar. I have no idea how else I would’ve gotten all the way here.”

“I may know an answer to that, but it may not be one you’re open to hearing yet,” Poe told her calmly, and she shot a puzzled frown at him before finishing her story.

“When we landed, I pulled him out, gave him to the medics, and then there was nothing but pain…after that, it went black. And then you know the rest of my story up til now.”

“Not quite. Maybe one day I will,” he agreed with a secretive smile. She chose to ignore his cryptic statements, too tired to argue with him otherwise, and fought the urge to yawn in front of him. However, he still could see how worn out she was from speaking to both men, so he would not press her further. Using a trick his mother used to use on him when he could not sleep, he took her hand and idly rubbed the top of it with his thumb in small circles until it had the desired effect. In a few minutes, her grip on his hand loosened, and her breathing became a steady rhythm.

“Rest, Alida. I have a feeling we’ll see each other again soon enough.” He let go of the sleeping woman’s hand and glanced at her peaceful features once more before smiling and finally leaving her side to report to his superiors all that he had heard from the courageous, if reckless, woman. Perhaps she had more in common with his pilots than she thought, and that idea alone furthered his determination to make sure she knew how valuable she could be to their cause.


	4. Heated Debates and Calm Propositions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the Resistance leaders discuss Alida's lineage, Poe speaks on her behalf and decides to make another visit to the engineer to keep her from boredom. General Organa comes to her bedside with an offer so appealing that it leaves Alida torn between two choices...to give up her safety net or to give up her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: In honor of Star Wars Day, I began writing this chapter on May the Fourth. And I just finished it a few weeks before Christmas. I apologize for being a spotty fanfic writer and not giving y’all an update sooner. I truly put so much into writing this story so far, and I hope that all of you like reading it just as much as I do writing it. I only own Alida and this story. Disney and Lucasfilm own everything else!!

Chapter 4: Heated Debates and Calm Propositions

"Wedge. I'll ask the question everyone here is wondering. How do we know that we can we trust your niece? Are we sure she is not a First Order spy?" Turning from where he was poring over battle plans, the retired pilot stared at the major who had spoken with a careful glare.  
"Major Brance. I would trust Alida with every single life on this base," he stated matter-of-factly.  
"That is a decent amount of faith. I do not need to remind you about what happened to her mother…"  
"Do not think of speaking of my sister in such terms. Need I remind you who saved your arse during the Battle of Endor?"  
"That was back when we were all young and naïve, Wedge. Look at what has happened since. I'm simply saying…we need to be careful. That young woman has that same blood running through her veins."  
"As do I. Have I been swayed by the Dark Side?"  
"Not yet…anything could happen..."  
"Speak of my niece again, and I'll knock you right-"  
"That is enough, both of you. There is enough tension in the galaxy. We do not need any here. If Major Wedge says we can trust Miss Salk, then I have the utmost faith in her. Our good major has never steered us wrong yet." General Organa stepped forward, a stern frown on her usually kind features as she glanced between the two arguing men, who both nodded respectfully and fell silent. Poe stood in the corner, observing the conversation with a studious expression as he contemplated the words both of them had spoken.  
"Commander Dameron." At the sound of his general calling out to him, he straightened up off of the wall on which he was leaning against and walked over to where everyone else stood.  
"General?"  
"You spoke with the young woman. You have been spending time with her the past few days. As you are not family, you would have a more unbiased opinion. What are your first thoughts on Miss Salk? Is she someone we can rely on?" Leia asked him, her voice soft yet still holding an air of command that resonated deep within each person inside of the room. Poe reflected back on his exchanged words with Alida and his not so professional thoughts of the blonde. His opinion may be a bit biased already, but he figured he'd at least give his honest opinion to his general.  
"I believe that she was willing to die for a Resistance fighter whom she had no previous contact with before this week. And she did not even care that she could have died, as long as Snap was all right. I believe Alida is a woman who is selfless and kind. She is determined to follow through with a goal to the point of being reckless, but that can be worked on." As he spoke, he shot a small glare at Major Brance as though daring him to continue bad-mouthing the newcomer. The general noticed a touch of admiration in Poe's voice as he opined, and her brow arched up. This could be an interesting development if Miss Salk remained at the base.  
"That reminds me of a certain pilot, does it not?" When Poe turned a shade of pink, the general actually smiled to herself. "Well, then. You all heard Commander Dameron. Miss Salk is one to trust. And perhaps, with Poe's guidance, she can be one to train to fly as well?"  
"Yes, General. I think she truly has the heart and drive to be quite the pilot with some training." Nodding at his own words, Poe folded his arms and glanced down at the plans, trying to hide the excited smile that wanted to make itself known.  
"That settles it. No more rude remarks about her or her family. Is that clear, Major Brance?" At the explicit order towards him, the older man hung his head in shame.  
"As you wish, General Organa." He turned and walked out of the room, exchanging a short glance with Poe before he disappeared down the stairs. Poe turned back to his general with a small smile.  
"I know Tas means well…but should we watch him around her just to make sure?" Poe suggested softly, just loud enough so that she alone could hear him.  
"He is just trying to protect the Resistance, Poe. I do not believe she is in real danger, as long as she continues to prove that she is genuine and truly wishes to help us." Leia pursed her lips and began to pore herself over the plans on the table. "If it helps put your mind at ease, however, you could remain close to her as she heals. I will be by to meet her this afternoon if she is feeling up to it."  
"Of course, General." Bowing respectfully, Poe took that as his cue to leave and walked down the stairs. The first place he headed was her bedside, noticing that Alida was sitting up in bed alone. She was fiddling with her fingers, looking bored out of her mind, and his eyes danced with amusement. He knew the feeling all too well...sitting in a bed in the medcenter, unable to do much of anything save for people watch and wait for meals.  
"Want some company?" he offered as he stepped a little closer. Glancing over, Alida took in the sight of the commander in his green outfit and seemed to exude relief as she nodded and gestured for him to sit.  
"I'd love some," she responded when he moved over and took up residence in the chair that was beginning to feel more comfortable than his own bed. "This is the fourth time this week, Poe. I'm starting to think you're skipping out on commander duties to come see me." He heard the teasing lilt of her voice and laughed aloud, happy that she was in good spirits amidst everything she had been through.  
"Only at the general's behest. She wants you fully healed, and she wants me watching over you until you do so."  
"Any word from Yavin IV yet? From my father?" Poe knew it must be worrying her, not having heard anything from her father since leaving their planet, but he could not let her stress over it. It was not good for her current condition to worry unnecessarily.  
"Don't be alarmed. With the First Order penetrating the planets and spreading their darkness, we all must be careful sending and receiving messages. Your father knows that. If he's gotten word about your status, I'm sure he will try to make it here as quickly as he is able." Covering her hand reassuringly, Poe smiled, which helped her to smile a little in turn.  
"I'm sure you're right…" she assented. "I just…"  
"I know. I'm the same way with my own father at times," Poe assured her.  
"What about your mother?" she wondered with a frown. He stared at their hands for a moment in silence before he could answer her.  
"My mother died when I was eight."  
"Oh..Poe…I'm so sorry…"  
Insert foot into mouth…Alida thought in frustration. She placed her free hand over his and squeezed his fingers, and he returned the gesture before gazing into her eyes.  
"It's all right. It gets easier year after year to speak of her. You did not know," he answered her before she could say anything more. She gave him a smile filled with warmth that seemed to ease the ache in his heart from recalling memories of his mother.  
"I lost my mother when I was young as well. I remember how brave and good she was…" Alida's eyes filled with a sadness that made Poe even angrier at the First Order for taking both of their loved ones away.  
"Your uncle told me that she was an X-wing pilot." He watched as her glum frown turned upwards into a softer smile.  
"Yes. Both of my parents were…until she passed. My father never flew another ship after that." Poe could understand that amount of grief from losing his mother. It was unimaginable…losing a parent when you are a child who looks up to them more than anyone else. "So, Poe…tell me. When will I be able to walk out of here? I think I'm going to die from sheer boredom."  
"That may be a touch exaggerated, but I get your meaning." Poe laughed again and stood up, tapping playfully on her leg until she scooted over in the bed to make room. Sitting down on the bed, he faced her as her eyes roamed across his face. "I'll be here whenever I can to keep you from being too bored. Maybe I can bring you something to read?"  
"I love reading," she replied emphatically. "Lyechusas is one of my favorite dramatists. But I love hearing the poems of Shawn Valdez."  
"The Rebel captain who helped to evacuate Hoth during the war against the Empire?" Poe was surprised that she knew of him, and when she nodded, his smile grew. "I enjoy listening to the tapes of his speeches and his poems about the Rebellion. I grew up on them." Alida began to softly quote one of her favorite poems, and he joined in, both of them enjoying the simplicity of the peaceful moment. When they had finished, their eyes had locked upon each other, their bodies seeming to move ever closer without actually touching.  
"You know your poetry, Mr. Dameron," she finally breathed, her cheeks flushing lightly. Admiring her for a moment, he grinned before leaning back on his hand.  
"Thank my mother for that."  
"Thank you, Mrs. Dameron."  
"Actually, her surname was Bey. My mother's name was Shara Bey."  
"By the stars…" she gazed at him in awe. "You are the son of Shara Bey? THE Shara Bey? She led Operation: Cinder with General Organa and Queen Soruna…" Poe practically glowed with pride as she began listing his mother's accomplishments with nothing but respect and adoration on her attractive features.  
"I am," he finally affirmed, watching her sit back onto her pillows with an incredulous smile. "I'm happy to know that her name lives on."  
"It always will, Poe. Your mother was one of the bravest women I've ever heard of besides the general."  
"Our general said she wants to come visit you today, by the way. Do you think you'll be ready to meet her?"  
"I will never be ready enough for her to meet me," Alida mumbled as she lowered her head. Poe took her chin in his hand and tilted it up so she could look at him. With his other hand, he tucked a stray piece of her bright blonde hair behind her ear, prompting her to blush again.  
"Alida…you're beautiful, selfless, and you have a good heart. The general will be pleased to meet you. I promise you do not have to worry." He found himself looking over her pink cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes and tried to ignore the sudden racing of his heart.  
"Thank you, Poe." Her voice had dropped significantly, and he found himself unable to release her just yet.  
"Is this a bad time? I can come back later, if you'd like." Hearing his general's voice behind them, Poe's hand froze after tucking her hair behind her other ear. Alida's blush darkened as she glanced over his shoulder and up at Leia Organa, the universe's most powerful and respected woman standing in her general vicinity. At least, she was in Alida's eyes.  
"General Organa…n-no…I…" Moving out of the commander's touch, she swung her legs over the bed and attempted to stand up. Having done so too fast, she immediately began to sag to the floor. Poe's reflexes caught her just in time, and he wrapped his strong arms around her, settling her back onto the bed with a scolding frown.  
"You need to be taking it easy. Do not concern yourself with protocols and bowing, dear." Leia's calming, motherly voice rang out as she stepped forward towards the young woman's bedside. "If anything, I should be bowing to you, after what you did for our pilot and for the Resistance. You have our utmost respect and gratitude, Miss Salk."  
"B-But I…" Alida's mouth opened and closed a few times as it tried to form the right words, but hearing such praise was bringing only a speechless smile to her face. "Thank you, General."  
"You have shown fortitude and righteous honor above what we see in normal civilians. Miss Salk, I would like to extend an offer to join our Resistance, which I am certain Commander Dameron here would support."  
"Wholeheartedly," he agreed joyfully, giving Alida a charming smile. Did she just hear them correctly? They wanted her, Alida Salk, an engineer, to be a part of the Resistance?  
"So…you are in need of an engineer on base?" she asked with a furrowed brow, and the older woman just grinned down at her.  
"No, Alida. I believe that she means that she wants you to join us as a pilot."  
"Poe is correct. I would love for you to join Poe and the rest of the pilots. It's in your blood."  
"I-I can't…I was terrified the entire time I was up there flying that X-wing!" she protested as she shook her head at the both of them.  
"Alida. We were all afraid the first time we flew."  
"I was afraid the first time I sat on the throne as princess. I was afraid the first time I gave an order as general." Leia placed a hand against Alida's arm and waited for her to look up before she continued. "We are at our bravest when we are afraid."  
"You made it here with another pilot while you were both bleeding out in the cockpit. That requires an endurance that one does not learn. It's something that you were born with." Something inside of her seemed to surge upon hearing Poe's words, and the both of them shared a momentary gaze of an intensity that Alida had never felt before.  
"How do you know I have what it takes? Your pilots are…"  
"Exactly like you. And we all started where you are…maybe not necessarily in that way…but trust me. You have just what I look for in each and every one of the men and women who fly with me." Alida fell silent as the daring commander spoke, attempting to persuade her towards their cause, to fight for something much bigger than herself and her work fixing smaller ships on Yavin IV. How these two people who had just recently met her could place so much faith and trust in her potential, and yet, her hesitance and fear of the unknown kept her from instantly jumping on the offered opportunity…she could not see it for herself.  
"Commander, will you give the two of us a few minutes please?" The general asked gently without taking her eyes off of the young woman.  
"Yes, General." With a nod and an encouraging glance over at Alida, he turned and walked out of sight, allowing them the privacy that Leia had requested. In that short time, the blonde's nervous energy seemed to multiply as she gazed up in awe and trepidation at her inspiration.  
"Since it is just the two of us, I hope that you do not mind that I call you Alida," the older woman began, and when Alida shook her head, she continued on. "I know the anxiousness you are feeling right now. That indecisiveness of whether or not to involve yourself with such a dangerous purpose…I have felt what you are dealing with before. When I was captured by the Empire, I was forced to watch them destroy my home planet. My parents, my friends, my home…all of it was gone in an instant. And I went from being a princess at the edge of a rebellion to becoming a leader thrust into the middle of it. And while I showed everyone that I was brave, on the inside…I was utterly terrified." Pulled into the truth of the general's past, hearing the calm yet melancholic lilt of her voice, Alida felt sympathy for the woman who was pushed into a fight that had taken everything she had loved from her.  
"I am so sorry. If I may ask, General Organa…after they had taken everything from you…you still chose to continue to fight for the Rebellion. You chose to fight those monsters knowing the risks. Why?"  
"Let me counter that question with one of my own. If you were older when you had lost your mother, and you had a choice to sink into the shadows and hide or to face the enemy and fight for justice for what you lost, fight for your people that are screaming out for help…which would you choose?" Alida paused as a line formed in her brow, and she broke eye contact for a moment. There was no contest, as she would have been willing to sacrifice anything for the chance at retribution against the First Order.  
"How did you know about my mother?"  
"Our good commander has told me a few things about you. From everything that we have learned so far, you do not seem prone to cowardice."  
"My father has been petrified that I would join the Resistance since I was a child. He lost his wife…he does not want to lose his daughter," Alida reasoned in a rational mind, though the temptation to tell the general yes was eating at her insides. "I could not, with a clear conscience, dive right into battle with the same people who murdered my mother without thinking about the advantages versus the disadvantages. I already have blood on my hands from confrontations with troopers. I do not know if I want to spill more."  
"You are holding back for him. That is considerate of you to think of your family before yourself. And I admire that you are thinking with your mind, as I have done so for most of my life."  
"There seems to be a small but in there somewhere…" Alida jested slightly, eyes rising back up to Leia's face, which softened considerably at the statement.  
"The moments in which I've allowed my heart to lead the way have led to some of the greatest decisions of my life."  
"Like when you decided to go into enemy territory to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt? I've heard that story so many times," Alida guessed with a light smile, and Leia seemed to frown at that, as though Alida was broaching an uncomfortable subject.  
"All I am saying, Alida, is that you at least consider it. You can be in the wrong place at the wrong time and be braver than even the strongest of heroes. When the path before you is unknown, yet you still willingly walk towards it, is when you truly become a hero. And you did not just walk into the unknown, Miss Salk…you flew. You have true potential to turn an ordinary life into something extraordinary. You just need to trust and believe that you can do so." Resting her hand comfortingly against the young engineer's leg, the general watched the conflicting emotions crossing her face for a minute before turning to leave.  
"I'll leave you to your thoughts. No matter what you decide, whether engineer or rebel, may the Force be with you in your choice." With a soft bow, General Organa disappeared from sight, trapping Alida in a perturbed silence that was more deafening than the roar of the loudest ship engines.


End file.
